1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the disposal of hazardous wastes and more particularly to a compact arrangement of multiple waste disposal vaults.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Permanent waste disposal vaults for hazardous waste materials are described in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,709 and my copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 201,498, filed Oct. 28, 1980. Permanent vaults are there described which include a water-impervious encapsulation of hazardous waste materials at a level above the normal high water table level in the geographical region of the vault. A supplemental water-impervious film may be provided beneath each vault to collect any leakage or leachates from the individual vaults. Each vault, after completion, is covered with indigenous earth material which is graded to correspond to the natural grade of the geographical region of the vault.
Permanent encapsulation of hazardous waste materials contemplates that the materials will be stored, unchanged, in perpetuity.
Providing multiple permanent encapsulation vaults of the prior art may occupy substantial geographical area. Hence it is desirable to reduce the geographical area required for the permanent waste disposal.
There is always a possibility that a permanent waste material disposal vault might become fractured as a result of unforeseen geological phenomena, military action, unintended mechanical penetrations or the like. Any penetration of the encapsulation might permit surface water to penetrate into the hazardous waste contents of the vault and result in leakage or leachate leaving the vault for possible contamination of the ground water. In my copending patent application Ser. No. 201,498, aforesaid, I have provided a water-impervious film for collecting and analyzing the leakage and leachate of any vault and a further means for collecting the leakage and leachate to preclude its entry into the regional water system.
As more and more permanent waste disposal vaults accumulate in a geographical region, it is increasingly important to be able to identify the precise source of any fracture which may be causing leakage or leachate so that the fracture can be repaired.